MS3/MS4 Community Hospital

[DrStephennmnm]

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I have been fortunate enough to receive an acceptance to a medical school, however, there’s something that’s bothering me. With this school, I placed in the program that would do clinical rotations at a community hospital very far away from the medical school, so far away that I would have to find a new place to live in MS3/4 years. The problem I have is that I want to do research as a medical student. Given that, is there typically research opportunities available for students at community hospitals, specifically ones that are specialty related? When I went to look at a particular department within the hospital, it didn’t have any information relating to any research conducted by faculty, it only gave clinical information. Given that I want to go into (at least at this time) a very competitive specialty, is this something that may preclude me from that (due to potentially not doing research the last 2 years)?

 

[bananafish94]

You can do a lot of research as an M1-2, in fact that's when you will have the most time to work on research pursuits. You should still be able to do research during M3 year. Many medical student research projects can be done remotely via chart review, etc. You might not be able to do bench research if you're working exclusively at a community program but nobody really does that anyway.

 

[bioboy23]

Following bc I’m in almost the exact situation

 

[DrStephennmnm]

You can do a lot of research as an M1-2, in fact that's when you will have the most time to work on research pursuits. You should still be able to do research during M3 year. Many medical student research projects can be done remotely via chart review, etc. You might not be able to do bench research if you're working exclusively at a community program but nobody really does that anyway.

So would you recommend that I find a mentor at the medical school university hospital and just do research remotely when I relocate to the community hospital, or would it be worth it to find a new mentor at the community hospital (if even possible).

And in general, are most physicians who work in community hospitals agreeable to research if the med student offers to do all the work (since technically the physician isn’t a PI)? Is this something that happens often at community hospitals if med students want to do clinical research even if the faculty at the hospital do not participate in research? If the physician agrees, would they be able to offer useful advice or project topics?

 

[bananafish94]

So would you recommend that I find a mentor at the medical school university hospital and just do research remotely when I relocate to the community hospital, or would it be worth it to find a new mentor at the community hospital (if even possible).

Yes, this is a good idea. For example, my school had a research "elective" that I did as an M1, where you would meet sporadically, learn about how to write an IRB, ethics of research, etc. They gave us a list of faculty conducting research and I got in contact with one who was doing research in a field of interest. Most of the work that I did on this project was writing a proposal, data abstraction, making a poster, writing the draft of a manuscript, etc. This could almost entirely be done from my home computer if I wanted. That eventually led me to a 1st author publication!

And in general, are most physicians who work in community hospitals agreeable to research if the med student offers to do all the work (since technically the physician isn’t a PI)? Is this something that happens often at community hospitals if med students want to do clinical research even if the faculty at the hospital do not participate in research? If the physician agrees, would they be able to offer useful advice or project topics?

In general, physicians working at community hospitals are almost exclusively focused on clinical work and teaching - they don't tend to do nearly as much research as those working in university hospitals, if any. If you find somebody who wants to work on a project with you, great! But I imagine you'll have more luck at your university institution.

 

[gatorsbruh]

I have been fortunate enough to receive an acceptance to a medical school, however, there’s something that’s bothering me. With this school, I placed in the program that would do clinical rotations at a community hospital very far away from the medical school, so far away that I would have to find a new place to live in MS3/4 years. The problem I have is that I want to do research as a medical student. Given that, is there typically research opportunities available for students at community hospitals, specifically ones that are specialty related? When I went to look at a particular department within the hospital, it didn’t have any information relating to any research conducted by faculty, it only gave clinical information. Given that I want to go into (at least at this time) a very competitive specialty, is this something that may preclude me from that (due to potentially not doing research the last 2 years)?

Find a mentor who is well published (check their pubmed) in your intended specialty at the university hospital of your school during first year. Tell them you are interested in their specialty during MS1, and volunteer to do retrospective research. Complete retrospective chart review projects during first year, summer between MS1-MS2, and first half of 2nd year (after this your free time will be heavily restricted due to Step 1 studying and clinical rotations).

You won't find much if any research at community hospitals.

Also consider doing a research year.

What specialty are you interested in? It can greatly affect the importance of research.

 

[DrStephennmnm]

Find a mentor who is well published (check their pubmed) in your intended specialty at the university hospital of your school during first year. Tell them you are interested in their specialty during MS1, and volunteer to do retrospective research. Complete retrospective chart review projects during first year, summer between MS1-MS2, and first half of 2nd year (after this your free time will be heavily restricted due to Step 1 studying and clinical rotations).

You won't find much if any research at community hospitals.

Also consider doing a research year.

What specialty are you interested in? It can greatly affect the importance of research.

Good point. But any reason why you left out 3/4? If it’s retrospective couldn’t I work on it anywhere, even a different state? Or do you think the emr security would not allow that?

 

[slowthai]

Good point. But any reason why you left out 3/4? If it’s retrospective couldn’t I work on it anywhere, even a different state? Or do you think the emr security would not allow that?

M3 is difficult because of time constraints. Imagine working for 12 hours, coming back to study from another 2 hours, and then working on research on top of that. People have done it, but it's quite tough. By M4, it's approaching ERAS deadline (mid September). If you can get something published before that, fair play.

 

[DrStephennmnm]

M3 is difficult because of time constraints. Imagine working for 12 hours, coming back to study from another 2 hours, and then working on research on top of that. People have done it, but it's quite tough. By M4, it's approaching ERAS deadline (mid September). If you can get something published before that, fair play.

Is this even true for those gunning for competitive specialties?

 

[slowthai]

Is this even true for those gunning for competitive specialties?

Is what true?

 

[DrStephennmnm]

Is what true?

They typically take off ms3/4

 

[slowthai]

They typically take off ms3/4

I don't understand. You're saying that they take time off between M3 and M4, or?

 

[DrStephennmnm]

I don't understand. You're saying that they take time off between M3 and M4, or?

Forgot to add the question mark at the end. I was asking you if Those interested in competitive specialties takeoff during third and fourth year or if they continue to do research during those years to be competitive for those subspecialties.

 

[slowthai]

Forgot to add the question mark at the end. I was asking you if Those interested in competitive specialties takeoff during third and fourth year or if they continue to do research during those years to be competitive for those subspecialties.

Oh, I see. It depends on the field and your application. Most people that decide to do a research year take a year off between third and fourth year.

Like I said, if you can swing it, you can do research during third year. Maybe bang out a couple case reports, and that could be enough, depending on your application and the field/programs that you're aiming for.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Is this even true for those gunning for competitive specialties?

Forgot to add the question mark at the end. I was asking you if Those interested in competitive specialties takeoff during third and fourth year or if they continue to do research during those years to be competitive for those subspecialties.

We do research during year 3 (year 4 is too late) but the productivity goes way down. I have a decent amount of pubs and for all of them but 1 the majority of the work was done during years 1 and 2.